Connor's Doctor is a good family practice Doctor. She has been great with both of my kids, but lately, we just aren't seeing eye-to-eye. I asked at the beginning of the school year if we could separate shots particularly the MMRV. She laughed (that's right, laughed) at me and said, "You know they are safe and don't cause Autism, right?". "They don't even make them separately". Do I blame shots for causing Connor's Autism? Not necessarily, but I like to proceed with caution. I like the middle of the road.
I like to think that I exercise reason when it comes to Autism and I don't drink the "we've got a cure for Autism Kool-Aid". I have hope and I strive to improve Connor's quality of life and constantly raise the bar so that he might have the opportunity to do more. I guess I stayed with my current Doctor in part to keep some semblance of normal, but I am not sure normal works for us any more. Especially when issues we thought we had beat re-occur like some constant nightmare.
Like most parents with a child or children on the Autism Spectrum, I have read my share (and more) of articles on Autism, what causes it, how to treat symptoms of and even how to "cure" Autism. I have become seriously offended by those who would hope to offer us a "cure" and have even chastised at least one person for going as far as to say that she knew someone who's Autistic child could not speak and then "miraculously" could after taking her supplement. It sickens me that there are so many that would sell us anything to make a dollar off of our desire to help our children and they are out there in many forms.
Recently, I met a Doctor who specializes in treating children with Autism. He has two of his own. I really dragged my feet on meeting him and approached our introduction with my shields up. Another snake-oil salesman, I thought. Awesome. Well, I'm not drinking his brand of Kool-Aid no matter how great it sounds. But....... he IS middle of the road about treating the symptoms of Autism. He doesn't make promises of cures. He doesn't laugh at concerns. He listens. Long story short we have a appointment on Monday because sometimes it is about treating the symptoms, so that he can have a better quality of life and we can continue to raise the bar so that he will have the opportunities that he should have. I am still proceeding with caution but maybe taking a little sip of the Kool-Aid sometimes may not be a bad thing after all.
